Death and Friendship
by Harebelle
Summary: Soldier attempts to be a decent friend for Sniper after the Australian loses a family member. Non-slash, chummy stuff written back when the game was new.
1. Chapter 1

**Death and Friendship **

It was a Sunday.

Not that dates meant anything out here, the sun rose and set and the REDs sometimes fought the BLUs and sometimes they didn't. But as Soldier stared at the mildly pornographic calendar, the day jumped out at him.

His elderly mother would be at church about now. In one of her flowery Sunday dresses, probably with her woven hat on the pew beside her, where his father used to sit, before he died. He never said it to his wife, but he wasn't one deeply into the church scene, no doubt why his son never was either, really. But both went along every Sunday with her, none-the-less.

Soldier had stopped coming to the sun-bleached little building when he was fourteen, but his father never stopped for all those years until the heart attack.

Would he go with his mother if they won this war and went home?

Soldier stopped thinking about it when it occurred to him that associating his mother with this calendar wasn't something he wanted to happen.

Returning it to the nail sticking out of the supply closet's wall, Soldier stood and stretched, then hoisted up the sack of flour he'd come in for and carried it with little effort down the corridor to the kitchen.

"Where d'ya want it put, Engineer?"

"Just over there, where the spare stool was, thanks." Not turning from what he was concocting on the worktop, the technician gestured with a wooden spoon, flicking mix onto the tiled floor.

Soldier did so and turned to leave the room, not wanting to be asked to help with what looked suspiciously like baking. He collided with someone entering the kitchen as he exited, though.

"Wotchit, mate. You aren't meant to be running _away _from the cake an' crushing the likes of me in the process." Sniper stepped around Soldier, dusting off the small amount of flour brushed onto his jacket.

"Mornin', though. Cheers for not bothering to wake me."

"Morning. I did, though. You told me to 'shove off' if you'd recall."

"I don't." Sniper then addressed the Texan. "G'day techie. Is it a plain sponge or what?"

"I'm not making a cake, partner."

The Australian's face fell. "Then what the Hell is it? We finally have eggs and you aren't even makin' a bloody cake-."

"Partner, I won't be makin' you anything' if you don't geddout." From the tone of Engineer's voice, he'd been bothered by more than just Sniper this morning, and he was usually the laid-back member of the team, though always hardworking.

"Eh." Sniper stepped around Soldier again to leave.

"Sorry. Sniper- you _do _have something, I recall. The delivery lad had a letter for you, but he didn't know if it's important. Must've been missed from the last mail delivery, I reckon. Looks formal, though. I didn't know your last name wa-."

"Yeah, alright, thanks. It's in the pigeon hole, right? You comin', Tincan?"

oooooo

About twenty minutes later, Soldier was sat on an old tractor wheel out in the "yard" in front of the base; taking his time enjoying a stack of thick, golden pancakes. Beside him, Pyro sat mask-less, doing the same, as did Sniper, on the other side of the tire. The rest of the team were scattered about the area in small groups, all savouring Engineer's cooking under the morning sun.

"We only have these for dessert back home." Sniper offered the info out of the blue.

"Yrrmff mfff fhll."

"Wait until you've swallowed before talking, Pyro."

"Speaking of home, time I opened the letter…Looks pretty bland, but who knows, right? Maybe my sister got a typewriter and couldn't wait 'till mail day to tell me or something."

Soldier continued with his pancakes to the sound of the paper envelope being torn open and for a few seconds, just the scrape of Pyro's knife and fork. Then a clatter of Sniper's cutlery and plate being knocked to the dusty ground.

Everyone who heard it turned or looked up from their food to stare at Sniper, who was staring between his feet at his ruined pancakes, the letter and envelope fluttering away on the breeze.

"Christ. Christ."

Soldier could tell something was seriously wrong with his friend. Putting aside his own plate, he rose and moved around the wheel to face Sniper, aware that every other RED was watching.

"Maggot? Sniper?"

Sniper shifted away from Soldier and rose to his feet.

"My cousin died. We rode bikes- I told you about it at the other base. The farm…Christ, what the Hell is that about? What…Just a letter? 'Oh, your best mate is dead. Funeral is next week, have fun getting there in time.'"

Sniper was staring right at Soldier, but the Kansan didn't know what to say or do.

"You…I don't think they prioritised your sister's letter…I don't think she knows they sent this, hers will be here…don't…worry?"

"Yeah, alright, Soldier, Ok. I'm going t-to-."

Pyro was one the other side of the Australian now, he tried what Soldier himself couldn't really do, though Sniper refused the embrace, suddenly becoming so uncharacteristically angry.

"Piss off. The Hell do you lot know? I'm off."

Sniper walked briskly away, in the general direction of the gravel pit, the focus of every RED on the yard, who had all realised what must have happened. Soldier was still new to being close to anyone outside of family and didn't know how to help. He decided to start after Sniper, but Spy stopped him with a hand on the shoulder. The Frenchman had walked over with the rest of the team behind him, who were murmuring amongst themselves.

"Someone died, didn't they? Soldier, I don't believe he wants to talk right now, he might be better alone for a while."

The American nodded "Yeah, I'm not made for helpin'…I don't know what I'd say that _could _help anyway."

Spy drew himself a cigarette, then offered the packet to Soldier, who pocketed one, but declined the lighter. "I'm sure Sniper will be grateful for anything you say; you are his friend, no? Tell him one of your American stories later; he keeps trying to tell them to _us_, he seems warm to them."

"Yeah…Maybe." Spy and Pyro beside him, Soldier turned to face the rest of the team, who all stopped to listen respectfully. He sighed and addressed them all. "Hey, I'm sure you all figured, but someone close to Sniper died and he-he ain't takin' it well. So uh, you know; be nice and that…"

Scout tried to be helpful, "Man, that sucks. Should we make a card or something? Like, with all our signatures in it? I know it's lame, but those things are nice to get."

"Uh, sure. Scout, can you catch his letter too? I think he might want to keep it."

"Ya, sure thing." Within a second or two Scout's running shoes were kicking up a small dust cloud behind him as he shot off across the yard.

Soldier looked to the rest of the REDs, who looked back until Engineer patted Medic on the back and asked him to help with cleaning up, encouraging everyone to return to their food.  
Soldier nodded a quick thanks to the technician, picked up his and Sniper's plates and pancakes, then headed to the kitchen, no longer in the mood to enjoy them.

oooooo

Soldier hadn't planned on doing anything specific that day, but he had always subconsciously assumed that Sniper would be there, not doing anything either. Thinking about it, he realised that he did little without Sniper nearby, even mundane things like chores such as site maintenance; and now the Australian wasn't here to do those with.

Soldier felt ridiculous. His friend had been gone for just over half an hour and he was already feeling a loss. Lonely? Had he ever even felt this before? Men don't feel lonely and miss their friends, especially those fighting wars. _Soldiers_.

Back in Kansas and time, Soldier's father had been the leading influence in his childhood. He taught his son how a man should be and how his actions will be what he would be remembered by. There was nothing in there about making friends and all of this.

But Soldier missed his father. He had for years and wouldn't stop doing so.

Sniper wasn't the same person, but so what?

Maybe it was time he made up his own mind about how-

"A penny for your thoughts, ami?"

Soldier was jolted back to the base break room by Spy's voice. He half turned on his seat at the old wooden table in the centre to look at his well dressed team mate.

"What?"

"Ah, it is a phrase I picked up in Britain a long time ago. You seem lost in a daydream."

"It's not quite a dream, Frenchie. I'm just tryin' to figure some things out."

Spy sat down beside him, noting the folded piece of paper in front of the Kansan, "Can I dare to guess? It is about our gangly and absent fellow RED?"

"He'd knock that mask off ya if he heard you call him that."

"He calls me worse. " Spy smirked to himself.

"Spy? Do- you see me- I'm a Soldier, right? And everyone knows it. I can take out any BLU and they goddamn know so."

The Frenchman seemed to analyse Soldier for a moment, making him feel awkward, but he responded soon enough, "I think…I see. Indeed you are and can, Soldier. I am not aware of you trying, but I believe you could even beat our Demoman at the whiskey if you attempted. Do not think that having someone you are fond of makes you appear less of a _homme-_ a man."

"I-"

"Sniper relies on you as his friend, and that is fine. It is the same the other way around. Look at us, we are a team and could not operate any other way."

Spy didn't seem to have more to say, so both men sat quietly for a short time, until Soldier spoke up, still

"You always got the right take on the situation, don't you?"

"I should hope so, too." Pushing his seat away from the table, Spy rose from his seat and placed a gloved hand on Soldier's shoulder. "I am sorting some of the Intelligence in the offices if you would like to help. Or Demoman could use some strength fixing that metal fence. We all appreciate your company, ami."

"…Thanks, Spy. You ain't as bad as Sniper makes out."

Spy smiled from behind his balaclava and left the room.

oooooo

Thanks to Spy's words, the rest of Soldier's day was spent attempting to get on with other members of the team. He decided to help Demoman with the fence as suggested, though it was slightly awkward making conversation until Heavy also showed up to lend a hand. He seemed to understand Soldier's position and included him in the jokes and banter with the Scot, and by the end of the afternoon, the three men were openly laughing together and the uneasy atmosphere was gone.

It was almost dark, so the REDs finished their various outdoor activities and began moving indoors for the evening. Demoman invited Soldier to a planned poker game with a few others, but the folded square of paper in his pocket reminded him that Sniper wasn't back yet, so he declined.

"We'll save a place at the table for both of ya, mate!" Demoman's words followed him down the hallway to their bedroom where Sniper could have returned to without telling anyone.

Both pairs of bunk beds were empty, however, and even checking the rest of the rooms proved useless. Medic's office was at the end of the corridor, two doors away, but a knock on the door and brief glance around the immaculately clean room revealed that Sniper was absent there too. Pulling the door to and turning to try the break room and kitchen; for the second time that day, Soldier bumped into another team member.

Medic squawked as the files he had been carrying seemed to explode in every direction, but Soldier reacted quickly enough to stop the majority from hitting the ground. Medic raised his eyebrows and knelt to pick up the sheets that escaped.

"Sorry, Doc. I was, uh-"

"Looking for Sniper."

"Yeah."

"In my office."

"I didn't touch anythin'!"

Medic stood and smiled at Soldier, not looking anywhere near as annoyed as the American had expected, though Medic was blessed with the quality of being eternally enduring.

"You would not find him in there unless I had heavily drugged him first, Soldier. Have you tried the roof?"

"Before I came in. I guess he could be on another building 'cause no-one would bother him up high, but it's dark out and I thought he'd be back by now." An unwanted thought somewhere in the back of his mind had been bothering Soldier, but he didn't want to tell it to the doctor, though the German, along with Spy, often had the most helpful and reassuring advice.

"He'll probably return sometime this night, having cleared his head. Just be there to remind him that life shouldn't stop for those who are living too. And you should try to cheer up yourself, mister American. You are worrying a lot and it's showing from what I can see under that helmet of yours."

"That's something' coming from you, Doc, not even my mother nagged me about rusty metal as much as you did today." Being humorous helped shove back the thought.

"It was _not _nagging- it is common sense to know swinging about jagged linked fence is foolish!" Medic rapidly fell back into the over-protective mode he had hidden a hair's breadth away. "Heavy would never live with himself if he took out Demoman's other eye- and he lost the first playing with those bombs of his, probably-"

"Heh. Doc, you're doin' it again."

Medic blinked at Soldier and exhaled, shifting the now-disorganised papers in his arms.

"Ok, Soldier. I'll come and watch your poker game in a little while."

"Ah, I'm not playing, I'll see you tomorrow."

"You are so silly, Soldier. Play the card game and get on with your team. If Sniper feels better and shows up, he won't feel bitter about you having other friends."

Soldier shook his head in amazement.

"First Spy and now you? I must be easy to work out, huh? First I feel like a fruit for realisin' I uh, care about another man- and Spy figured that out, an' now I have other folk who I could see as friends and it's you who gets that, Doc."

"A lot of my job is about knowing people."

"Yeah, but _exactly _what I'm kinda…bothered by. There's this image of the guy coming back and there I am jokin' about with Demoman and Heavy- like nothin's wrong." Soldier lowered his voice.

"Doc, I think there were times when I didn't even think about him out there by himself with a damn dead cousin and nobody trying to help him out."

Medic gave him another of his understanding smiles and stepped past towards his office, stopping outside the door and turning back to the Kansan.

"I just said: Sniper would never resent you getting on with the others. You can't feel the sense of loss he does, and he wouldn't want you to, either. Just as long as you understand and are there when he needs you."

Medic pushed open the office door and spoke over his shoulder.

"Now friend, I really must sort these files and Intelligence, I expect poor Spy has a headache from trying to make sense of it all day. You sort yourself out, alright?"

Soldier visited both the break room and kitchen, and even the pantry cupboard though it was to no avail. Ignoring the laughter echoing around the base from the largest room that served as the recreation and living area, he wandered down the remaining almost abandoned parts of the building, trying storage closets and the spare bathrooms, but returning Sniper-less after every one had been checked.

The Kansan had some time to think as he walked, and it was mostly about his father.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The sun hadn't yet risen when Soldier awoke. Staring up at the bunk above him, he could tell Sniper wasn't lying on it, though Engineer and Scout were in theirs, both still asleep. Rubbing his face, the Kansan sat up and waited for his vision to clear, then as quietly as he could pulled on his boots and carried his perfectly folded clothes down the hall to the wash room.

Feeling renewed after splashing cold water on his face and getting dressed, he left the base via the main doors and set out to find his best friend. 

He eventually found Sniper down in the waterway below the RED base and a huge feeling of relief lifted the fighter's spirit at the sight of him. The long tunnel was lit by long-life light bulbs at regular intervals along the ceiling, though two or three required Engineer's attention. They flickered above Soldier's head as he splashed through the five inches of water towards his friend. He was making a Hell of a lot of noise, but Sniper didn't look up from where he sat on the raised concrete platform at the corner where the tunnel turned. Soldier wondered if he was sleeping leaning against the wall beside the eternally locked supply closet door, but as he neared he could make out the Australian's open eyes, as they weren't hidden behind the usual sunglasses.

"You alright there, Sniper?" The look he received as the first sign of acknowledgement from Sniper answered his own question.  
"Ah, uh- stupid thing to ask. I've been looking' for you for long enough to have thought of something' better, right? I'm not great at this sorta thi-"

"It's fine- just-just bugger off. Please. Soldier, not now- ok?" Sniper spoke to the concrete floor between his long legs rather than his team mate.

"You had me hunting all over the base for you yesterday and then all outside this morning. Nearly broke my neck clambering up onto that barn roof just now, and I'd be on top o'that Control Point down at the gravel pit right this minute if I hadn't thought of this place. Who'd think of looking for you underground? You picked the exact opposite of where we'd think to look!" Soldier tried to put a humorous ring in his voice, knowing as he spoke that it was a poor decision.

"Maybe there's a bloody _reason _for that?" Sniper's quiet tone was suddenly an angry one, though it wavered as though he were on the edge of a breakdown of sorts.  
Soldier wasn't one to flinch when yelled at, but it coming from his friend made something inside twitch.

"Yeah, I'm sure there is," Acting openly obtuse, Soldier kicked off his wet boots and dropped down beside Sniper. "but I've found you none-the-less, an' you've been down here alone long enough, I think."

The Australian narrowed his eyes at Soldier, though not quite to his face, and ignoring his dead legs from being immobile so long, started to rise.

"Yeah, well done, mate. I'm going to go somewhere _else _alone and you can faff around here-" Sniper was cut off mid sentence by Soldier firmly yanking him by the belt back down into a sitting position beside him.

"Siddown, maggot. You don't want to be on some crumbling rooftop by yourself and you know it. Look, I-I've been _worried _about you all this time and I didn't come find you just so you can run off again." Sniper slid down the wall to show he wasn't going to leave again.

"Look, I know I don't… Just talk about it and we'll try an' get you through this."

"Through this?" Sniper bristled. "This ain't some illness I'll get over and forget about- he's bloody dead. Christ, he's never coming back…The last time I saw him was almost a year ago, and then it'll be two years and then three…"

He trailed off, staring beyond the opposite tunnel. They sat in silence for a few seconds, until he continued. "How do you 'get through' something like this? Know what? We're- we _were _practically the same age. But he's dead. Christ, who decided that was fair?"

As he spoke, Sniper twisted his sunglasses with his long fingers, the frame bending close to breaking point with each turn. "I mean, I'm out here _fightin' _and he's at home carin' for the farm, but look who ends up having a rushed funeral thousands of miles away- while his best mate can't even be there to say goodbye or look after his sister-" The glasses snapped clean in two and Sniper's shoulders jerked as he was unable to hold back a sob.

"S-sorry, mate. I've been down here tryin' to-to ah, think about other things this whole time and you come prancing down and I fall apart."

Sniper didn't start crying, he just hiccuped a lot, still forcedly focused on something beyond the tunnel ahead. Soldier felt relieved, but at the same time hated himself for doing so. He thought back to the short conversation with Spy in the break room and recalled his words about being there for his team and friends. His father's lessons were there too, but they seemed to be respectfully moved to one side now.

"Ah, the Hell with it. Here, Sniper." Soldier threw an arm around the Australian's narrow shoulders, pulled him sidewards and hugged him. "What're you apologisin' for?"

Sniper didn't resist or respond in any way, he just stayed fairly slumped against the older man, though his breathing gradually slowed and returned to normal again- the gesture apparently helping. After a while, he sniffed and sat upright, encouraging Soldier to remove his arm.

"Is this the end of classic tough-guy Soldier, folks?" His voice almost sounded completely normal as he mocked a radio commentator. "Will the rock-hard-Kansan be today-forth be known as the rabbit-soft-kitten in-"

Soldier laughed with his friend and shoved him playfully. "Knock it off, gawky. It ain't easy for me to hug another guy."

"I know mate. But ah…thanks. And fer comin' down here to sit with me. Just none of this 'gawky' crap- you sound like Spy and that bloke is one more comment about my height away from me decking him one." He half-heartedly raised a fist to emphasise his statement, but his hand quickly dropped and his face fell.

"Just…it's a blo- it's a let down. Dying. When you have no business t' be dead yet…But ya might as well not bother living if you could kick the bucket at any second…then you don't have to feel bloody awful any more…"

Soldier's eyes narrowed at the implication made in Sniper's depressed words and he replied in a severe tone that made Sniper visibly flinch.

"Don't you be sayin' anything like that again, y'hear? Don't you goddamn dare."

"I just-"

"No. Yesterday the doc' said something relevant to what you just came out with: just 'cause your cousin's life ain't happening any more, doesn't mean yours should stop as well. I think he meant being happy and all that, but it applies what you just said too."

"Soldier, I…"

The Kansan looked at the man beside him and his expression softened at how vulnerable he appeared, though Soldier was still angry. How could Sniper say that? His thoughts were broken by the Australian continuing.

"Sorry. I wouldn't, uh, not-not really. I was just saying anything that floated up.

Christ, I must be really pissing you off. You're the toughest bloke on the team and I'm sat in the dark sobbin' about topping m'self. Sorry."

It was easier for Soldier to provide a comforting hug this time, and Sniper didn't joke about it to make it awkward.

"Naw, just think about what Medic said. I get where he's coming from. Would your cousin or sister want you to be goin' off and giving up?"

Soldier felt the Australian's shoulder's tense.

"You-don't pretend you know my-"

"I don't know them, but they _wouldn't_, would they? And would you want either of 'em to quit and start talking like that if you died?"

Soldier puffed out a breath of air and watched the resulting cloud disappear in the cold tunnel, then spoke again.

"And you think I like seeing you like this, maggot? You got a right t' be sad, but I'm missin' the mad Australian who jumped out that landing chopper way too early while balancing all those beers for us, then acting like he'd meant to judge it wrong. Whaddo you say? Uh- '_he__ was a roight head-case_.'"

His poor imitation was rewarded with a slanted grin from his friend.

"He'll be back, I'm sure. Thanks, Soldier." Sniper leant sidewards onto Soldier under his arm, which was a bit much for the American.

"Do I look like a sofa to you, sissy?"

He gave him another chummy shove to get him off, and Sniper was game and returned it, causing a short contest that Soldier emerged victorious from.

"You need to eat more apples and those vitamins Medic leaves on the counter for everyone, Sniper. Even the kid could beat you up."

"Oi, Scout's on steroids, it ain't a fair match!"

Both REDs laughed, though Sniper's went on far too long - trailing off into an unhappy whine.

"Ah, whaddo I say in my letter to my sis'? I am _not _looking forward to writing that, mate… I'll need to bug her for new glasses too, like."

"Cheer up, Engineer can fix them with tape. Just like a dork in school, right?"

"That's not-"

"Hellooooooo?"

Sniper's reply was interrupted by a bright greeting from down the tunnel, where Soldier had entered. A familiar, pale red lab coat clad figure waved from the stairs and was joined by shorter figure in an unmistakable black rubber mask.

"Medic? Hey, Pyro." Sniper made a wobbly rise to his feet, leaning against the wall when he did to wait for his circulation to return to normal.

"Don't get wet, we'll come over. Come on." Soldier pulled on his boots, picked up Sniper's broken glasses and stood too.

Pushing his friend in the right direction, they sloshed along the tunnel to an enthusiastic welcome from both team mates. Pyro pretended to be scared to embrace Sniper, but then locked him in a bear hug, which the Australian spoke through.

"I was out of order yesterday, Pyro. Sorry, mate."

"Mfffdhhkk."

Pyro released him after a forgiving squeeze and gave Soldier a high five as a greeting while Medic turned to greet Sniper.

"Hello friend. We're truly sorry about your cousin, but we'll all try and help the best that we can." Medic then hugged him, which surprised Sniper as the expression on his face revealed, but the doctor stopped suddenly and studied him at arm's length.

"Sniper, you are freezing! You haven't been down here on the concrete floor all night have you?"

"Uh, I was comin' back in the afternoon, but I couldn't… I just ended up down here. So, yeah. Yes."

"Well, you're fortunate Pyro heard you laughing down here, because you could very well have developed hypothermia if you stayed longer."

"He-" Medic promptly cut off Soldier's defence attempt.

"And you should know better, Mister American! Sniper is not emotionally well and allowing him to sit on a damp floor will make him physically unwell too!"

Soldier blinked at the German's wrath and Pyro gave him what he assumed was a sideways glance.

"C'mon Doc, I'm my own person, not a little kid, you know. Soldier only found me a while ago. Besides, I'm tough as Pa's old boots as you all know and respect, eh?" Medic didn't seem to agree and span Sniper around, giving him a firm shove in the direction of the stairs up to the alley at one side of the base. Pyro followed with Soldier, pulling the door to.

"You look like a panda and are as cold as a polar bear, you need to rest somewhere warm right away."

"I'm gonna start talkin' like Teddy-"

"Do you feel very hot at all, Sniper? Or like you might have a cold coming on?" Medic spoke as he walked beside Sniper a few paces ahead of Soldier, so the Kansan didn't hear most of the medical questions being thrown at the Australian. He joked about, miming the doctor with Pyro until the group of four reached the bedroom belonging to Scout, Sniper, Engineer and himself. 

Medic led Sniper in and didn't object when Pyro followed and Soldier leant on the door frame, watching.

"Ok, I'm just checking your eyes." The doctor sat Sniper on the left lower bunker, which was Soldier's, and shone a small pocket flash light into each of his eyes in turn, making Sniper blink a lot afterwards.

"Alright, now lie down, please."

"This is Sold-"

"Lie down; I'll go get a thermometer. Pyro, could you fetch some hot tea?"

"Tea? I'm not English, doctor-"

Medic removed Sniper's hat with one gloved hand and placed the other on the Australian's chest, gently but firmly pushing him down onto the blanket.

"I said lie down for now, Sniper. The drink will make you feel better and warm you from the inside. "

Sniper made a complaining sound as he often did around Medic, but obeyed. Satisfied his patient wasn't going anywhere, Medic nodded and shooed Pyro towards the door and Soldier stepped back from the doorway so they could get past, then turned back to the bed, chuckling.

"I'm sure if one of us had a paper cut, that doctor'd quarantine him-"

Sniper's eyes were closed and his head resting to one side of the faded pillow; an untroubled expression on his unshaven face. Unresponsive to a few testing pokes in the leg, he was indeed asleep, so Solider sat on the edge of the bunk and moved his friend's hat to the bedside cabinet, then carefully pulled off his boots. Medic returned shaking a thermometer as Soldier pushed them under the bed.

"You love him, don't you?"

If the question had come from anybody else, Soldier would have probably floored them, but he knew exactly how Medic meant it.

"Well, somebody has to, Doc…"

The older man gave him a small smile and removed a glove, stepping over to feel Sniper's forehead with his hand.

"I am sorry I was irate, but I think I share your fondness for Sniper. In another life I knew someone he could almost be a long lost Australian brother to." He removed his hand and snapped the shiny red glove back on.

"Uh, ok. We really don't need another Sniper out there. The world couldn't handle it."

Both men shared a small laugh, but Medic stopped when Soldier did, appearing worried.

"What's wrong? He's just sleeping- he'll feel a lot brighter when he wakes if he gets a few hours."

"No, Doc, he said somethin' about-uh, he assured me he didn't mean it- but he implied that…he thought about…"

"Ah. Well we both know he wouldn't really mean it. As for his health, he does seem alright, but I'll have to take his temperature tomorrow and see. Now let's find Pyro and that tea, there wasn't much left and I'd enjoy a mug. Would you like some?"

"Heh, no thanks, Doc."

Medic seemed to brush off the suicide talk almost instantly and though Soldier was sure he did so intentionally as to not worry him, he was a lot less worried.

*******

"The knight piece is the horse, Scout, that's a bishop, move it back."

"This game is too fiddly, Doc. Here, this move is alright, yeah?"

"Right! You're getting this, see. Can you stop bobbing your foot, please? You need to sit still, this is a respectful game."

"Pshh, the day I get respect for playing with little bits of wood is the day Heavy says he's giving up steak."

Soldier sat with Engineer on the tractor wheel outside the RED base, watching Medic trying to teach Scout to play chess on an upturned supply crate. The pair were waiting for their own turn, but watching because neither had played in years and needed to catch up on the rules. Pyro sat on the ground next to the tire, though he was reading one of Spy's crime novel books.

"So, uh, should I get Sniper up when I make lunch in a while, or did Medic pump him full of Z-pills?" Engineer asked Soldier, though Medic apparently heard.

"He is just emotionally exhausted, Engineer. Though he might soon have a cold too," Soldier looked down and pretended to clear his throat to avoid the accusing glance. "Don't wake him, but please let me know if he seems unwell when he does- or anyone, actually: no one ever tells me anything until they're on death's door and then expect a medical miracle!"  
"Sure, Doc. Poor kid, though. I'll have to make him that dang cake if ya'll don't mind a smaller omelette."  
"Httt knnd ffmmhhtt?" Pyro raised his head.  
"Bacon."  
"Dmmgtt..."

Soldier sat with his team mates in the yard all day, talking and getting closer to each one than he had done in all the time he had been a RED; until the sun set and they eventually turned in, the peace of the day undisrupted by BLU attacks.

Sleeping lightly, Soldier awoke later that night to the sounds of movement in the room. Engineer was snoring and Scout was breathing deeply from under the tangle of sheets he ended up forming in his sleep, but he could not hear Sniper's usual breathing pattern. Almost forgetting he was on the top bunk, Soldier rolled to the edge of his bed and peered down to make out Sniper's lanky form sitting on the edge of the lower bunk, pulling on his boots.

"Maggot?"

Sniper started, and looked up. His expression was hard to make out in the dark, but he looked better than earlier. The "panda-eyes" Medic had commented on were gone at least.

"Hey, Soldier. I'm getting' some-getting some air, mate- don't worry, I'm coming back this time…" His lowered voice sounded sleepy, but not _quite _as unhappy. "What you said, about him not wanting me to mope and all that crap… Made sense, you know? Thanks. I guess I still actually have a best friend."

"Ah, it's…" Soldier's response drifted off as Sniper quickly left the room, forgetting his hat.

Sighing, the Kansan turned and tried to return to sleeping, feeling as if he had actually been there for someone who really called him friend, for the first time he could recall.

THE END.

**Okaaaay, I know this is quite cheesy, but I can't even remember what I was thinking at the time, heh. **  
**Reviews are always welcome, TF2 fans.**


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